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FP45
The FP45 is a diesel locomotive in the game Railroad Tycoon II. It becomes available in the year 1968, and is the second fastest diesel locomotive in the entire game, with a top speed of 106mph. Because of this, the FP45 can be used effectively on most medium-long distance passenger routes. However, it lacks the hauling power in comparison to some of the other diesel locomotives for it to be used on freight duties. It can haul 4 passenger cars at a speed of around 90mph. Strategy The FP45 is a decent replacement for the F9 and GG1 which both retire in 1970. Because the F9 and GG1 are both better locomotives in many specifications, it's not a bad idea for the player to hold off on buying FP45's, instead opting for a second generation of the aforementioned locomotives just before they retires, or using the Class 55 Deltic if not in North America. The FP45 has a high top speed and high fuel costs, passenger supply must always be relatively high at stations to prevent idle time, and the distance between stations should also be larger, to prevent the easily made losses with the FP45. As mentioned before, the low power of the FP45 means that freight services really should be left to the GP18, and eventually the SD45 (1972) or the electric Class E111. The FP45 has decent acceleration, although it is not quite on par in terms of reliability, with FP45's suffering from consistent breakdowns within a few years. The FP45 has no retirement date, and it certainly still is useful on medium-long distance passenger services as the player moves into the future, as long as the player decides not to electrify. The player can optionally use the AMD-103 (1993), but this locomotive is far too expensive, and really can only be used on more heavy-duty routes with more hills or heavier loads. Once a route is electrified though, the Class E111 should be used instead, as the cheap running costs and excellent reliability are hard to beat compared to the FP45. For the longest passenger routes, the player will want to eventually use the Thalys Bullet, or the Eurostar when the come out in 1994 (only if electrified). Comparison History The EMD FP45 is a cowl unit type of C-C diesel locomotive produced in the United States by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). It was produced beginning in 1967 at the request of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which did not want its prestigious Super Chief and other passenger trains pulled by freight style hood unit locomotives, which have external walkways. When Amtrak took over passenger service, the FP45s were reassigned to fast freight service, particularly Santa Fe's Super C high-speed intermodal run. They were soon repainted from their original red and silver Warbonnet scheme to the standard blue and yellow freight scheme when the steam generators were removed and they were permanently assigned to the freight pool. In June 1989, two of the units, #5992 and #5998, were repainted once more in a modified version of the Warbonnet scheme (this time, displaying Santa Fe in large, red letters "billboard"-style across the side) and re-designated as #101 and #102. The units reentered service on July 4 as part of the new "Super Fleet" — the first Santa Fe units to be so decorated for freight service. The six remaining units were thereafter similarly repainted and renumbered to 90-93 and 95-98 (the engine that would have been #94 having been wrecked and retired in 1981), and remained in this scheme (some re–lettered BNSF after the merger) until their retirement in the late 1990s, after some 30 years of service. No. 91 was sold to the Wisconsin Central in January 1995, becoming their #6652. The units purchased by the Milwaukee Road were painted to the Milwaukee's orange and black scheme after Amtrak took over passenger service. Gallery Category:Railroad Tycoon II Category:Diesel Locomotives Category:Locomotives